After months of protestations, online real estate startup is starting to show its hand. The company unveiled a new feature on its web site that allows real estate brokers and individuals to list homes for sale.

This is where Zillow was headed all along when it was hatched by Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink and funded by Benchmark Capital and Technology Crossover Ventures last year. The Seattle company has raised a total of $57 million in venture capital.

This new release is a big play that could completely disrupt the real estate industry. I was able to post my house for sale in a few minutes. I also set a Make Me Move price designed to give prospective buyers an idea of how much it would take to get me to sell my house, even when it's not officially for sale. If anyone's interested in a San Francisco condo, they would have to pony up $500,000 more than what I paid five months ago. I'm not holding my breath for offers.

The home valuations on the site are still screwy but it won't matter if enough individuals and real estate brokers participate in Zillow's new online consumer real estate marketplace.

For more on Zillow's new service, see:
Search Engine Journal
Zillow blog
True Gotham
John Cook

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